[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-246387-105":53,"doc-detail-246387-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","step-by-step-removing-fines","STEP BY STEP - REMOVING FINES","","A practical step-by-step guide for public libraries and local authorities to remove fines, built around research, stakeholder mapping, and evidence-based planning. It outlines how to review current fees and collections, assess revenue and cost/benefit impacts, identify allies and potential blockers, and align the proposal with wellbeing goals. The guide supports building a council business case, preparing measures and an implementation plan, coordinating communications and media, updating notices and systems, monitoring outcomes, and managing contingencies such as partial or child-fines-only approaches.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":36,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/forms/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/step-by-step-removing-fines/246387/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/step-by-step-removing-fines/246387.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Lucas Vance","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-23","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What information is needed to support removing fines?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"Review current fees and charges, collected vs written-off/waived amounts, the cost of collecting fines, inactive member levels, and any lessons from pandemic-related changes. Include data and impact stories to strengthen the case.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How should a council prepare its plan for approvals and decision-making?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"Set up a project team, confirm the business case requirements (memo, presentation, workshops), decide recommended changes and debt handling, identify focus issues, and create a timeline with key decision dates. Establish baseline measures to compare before and after results.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What actions are required for implementation after approval?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Apply technical settings in the LMS and tills, update print and online collateral, review wording of notices, set up monitoring measures, and run a communications and media campaign. Measure results and report back on whether promised consequences were delivered.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},246387,1790854658,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":35,"category_name":36,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":136,"language":137,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":138,"faqs":139,"seo_title":140,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":141,"read_time":76},549768064622,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Fine Free Aotearoa  \nPublic Libraries  \nSTep by step to removing fines  \nSTEP BY STEP – REMOVING FINES  \nWhat have your customers told you about current charges and fees?  \nWho do you need to convince? What Information will they need to support removing fines?  \nHow does removing fines align  \nwith/contribute to their goals, especially the wellbeing goals?  \nWhat data and what stories of impact will you need?  \nCost/benefit – think of mitigations for revenue loss  \nIdentify your allies and detractors in your elected members and Council officers.  \nFROM THE TOOLKIT   \nWhat are your current fees and charges?  \nHow many inactive members do you have?  \nHow much of your fees and charges are actually collected vs written off or waived?  \nWhat is the cost of collecting fines?  \nChanges you made during the pandemic? Such as extending loans, or waiving fines? What did you learn from that, and what feedback did you receive?  \nFind examples that are relevant to your context – neighbouring Councils/similar size for example – Talk to them.  \nWhat is the level of potential revenue loss and how much debt are you currently carrying?  \nWho are most likely to be blocked?(ethnicity/age/neighbourhood)  \nWhat process does your Council use for deciding fees and charges? Does it need togo through the Annual Plan or the Long Term Plan process, or can it be done through a Council reporting process?– check with your manager Would it need public consultation?  \nStart with Research  \nWHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY AREA?  \nHOW WILL YOU GO ABOUT IT?  \nWHAT IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE?  \nUse the Fine free Aotearoa tool-kit for examples and case studies Stakeholder template FAQ  \nHow can this enhance the reputation of Council?  \n PREPARE YOUR PLAN  \nYou may find it helpful setting up a Project team: library/Finance and Community impact /Comms staff  \nConfirm what you need for your Council Business case? Memo? Presentation? workshops with Staff and or Councillors?  \nDecide what changes are recommended e.g. remove all fines/ remove all children's fines. Wipe old debt/keep lost book debt etc.  \nAnswer the issues your  \nCouncil/Community will focus on  \nWork out timeline and key decision dates  \nEstablish base measures to compare before and after results such as number of issues, number of returns, number of new patrons that join each month, number of blocked patrons,  \nPrepare a draft implementation plan and include this as part of your case  \nFROM THE TOOLKIT  \nReference the Joint Position Statement of PLNZ/LIANZA Stakeholder assessment template Sample business cases  \nFAQ  \nGetting APPROVAL  \nMAKE THIS CASE YOUR DECIDERS’SUCCESS  \nCommunicate, communicate, communicate  \nTake every chance to tell people why fines are a barrier and why they don’t result in more people bringing books back  \nPractice your elevator pitch  \nBe ready to back up your case with further examples  \nCelebrate your success and don’t forget to tell PLNZ  \nAnd then  \nOR  \nHave a plan B  \nif not all fines, children’s fines, or stop using debt agencies  \nFROM THE TOOLKIT  FAQ  \nIMPLEMENTATION  \nApply the technical settings to make the change on your LMS and tills (are you in a consortium alert them ASAP)  \nUpdate all your collateral print and on-line  \nReview and update the wording of your notices  \nSet up the measures to monitor the impact  \nPlan a campaign to inform people and encourage them back  \nDevelop and deliver a comms and media plan  \nMeasure and report back  \nYour Council and media will want to know if the consequences you promised were delivered  \nFROM THE TOOLKIT Sample media release FAQ  \nOther?  \nWhere to Find the plnz toolkit  \nFind it all here Joint Statement  \nThis guide and the rest of the Toolkit can be found here  \nWWW. FINEFREEAOTEAROA.ORG. NZ  \nThe joint PLNZ/LIANZA Position Statement of Removing Fines can be FOUND HERE, HERE and HERE  \nACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  \nNgā mihi nui to the PLNZ Fines free Aotearoa Working Group and all the librarians who shared their experience a","cbCaitdhay7gypIw","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitdhay7gypIw","pdf",1456570,7,"English","# STEP BY STEP – REMOVING FINES\n## Build the case\n## Implementation and communication","[{\"question\":\"What information is needed to support removing fines?\",\"answer\":\"Review current fees and charges, collected vs written-off/waived amounts, the cost of collecting fines, inactive member levels, and any lessons from pandemic-related changes. Include data and impact stories to strengthen the case.\"},{\"question\":\"How should a council prepare its plan for approvals and decision-making?\",\"answer\":\"Set up a project team, confirm the business case requirements (memo, presentation, workshops), decide recommended changes and debt handling, identify focus issues, and create a timeline with key decision dates. Establish baseline measures to compare before and after results.\"},{\"question\":\"What actions are required for implementation after approval?\",\"answer\":\"Apply technical settings in the LMS and tills, update print and online collateral, review wording of notices, set up monitoring measures, and run a communications and media campaign. Measure results and report back on whether promised consequences were delivered.\"}]","STEP BY STEP - REMOVING FINES | PDF",1789235165]